Swim

File Photo by Megan Burke/THE STANDARD Seniors Anna Miller (left) and Libby Howell have been on the swim and dive team since 2017.

Diving into next season

REGINALD LEE JR. Sports Reporter @ReginaldLeeJr16

With sports likely returning to colleges in the fall semester, both players and coaches on Missouri State’s swimming and diving teams continue to strategize on what their next plans will be this season.

The swimming and diving season had completed for Missouri State before COVID-19 caused a cancellation in the spring semester, but it was still a shock to head coach Dave Collins.

“You go on spring break thinking you’re going to be back in a week —you don’t go back thinking I’m not going to see this group of people for six or seven months,” Collins said. “My role has shifted from dealing with college students to teaching my elementary-aged daughters’ classes. Definitely more challenging.”

The athletes in swimming and diving have the advantage of being coached and competing year-round via Olympic and safety exemptions. Most NCAA athletes have time periods where they cannot be directly coached. Collins said he thinks the pandemic wouldn’t affect their future plans and that it may be beneficial to them.

“For us we really don’t ever take breaks — and that’s including coaches,” Collins said. “I think you’re going to have the most motivated athletes we’ve ever had in the fall, you’re going to have coaches so excited to get back with their athletes and refreshed with new ideas; and you’re going to have healthy athletes.”

Incoming freshmen for the most part have been the main priorities for both teams as Collins said he thinks they have had a harder situation forced on them.

“They got graduation ripped out from them, some of them got their season ripped out from them, and they’re nervous because they’re getting ready to take the next step in their career to the college level and they’re not able to train right now,” Collins said.

In regards to exactly how training is going during quarantine, Collins said he plans on implementing new boxing training techniques during preseason to prevent a dip in performance.

“This seems like a good time to do it,” Col lins said. “As a way to get fit, as a way to strengthen our bodies, get some cardio —do something different and have some fun.”

The swimming and diving season will like ly begin in October.